The Philadelphia Flyers got all the help they could have possibly asked for, and now it's up to them to seal the deal and book their place in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.
On Sunday night, with a brutal 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, the New York Islanders were officially eliminated from playoff contention.
That leaves the Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Washington Capitals to vie for the last playoff spot--third place in the Metropolitan Division.
The Blue Jackets lost 3-2 to a Boston Bruins team resting some of its players on Sunday night, putting them on the precipice of elimination as well.
With a win over the Carolina Hurricanes at home at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Monday night, the Flyers can clinch themselves a playoff berth outright with no further strings attached.
Because they have two more points than the Blue Jackets with a game still in hand, just one point from an overtime or shootout loss will allow the Flyers to knock Columbus out of the running.
Then, it's down to Washington, who have 93 points in 81 games and can only reach a maximum of 95.
The Flyers are sitting at 94 in 80 games, so their magic number is, obviously, two. A win or two overtime losses seals the deal for Philadelphia.
In anticipation of Monday night's game against the Hurricanes, it's worth noting that Carolina was without Taylor Hall, Mark Jankowski, William Carrier, Jalen Chatfield, K'Andre Miller, Logan Stankoven, and Jackson Blake in their most recent game--a 4-1 win over the Utah Mammoth.
The Hurricanes have already clinched first place in the Metropolitan Division and can clinch home-ice advantage and the Eastern Conference with one more point over their final two games, so they don't have all that much to play for while already resting some players.
Apr 12, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) limps off the floor during the first half against the Chicago Bulls at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Mercifully for your Dallas Mavericks, the 82-game grind that is the NBA regular season has come and gone. Just about the only two bits of drama over the last two months of this disaster was whether or not they could lose enough games to earn some lottery balls, and if they could get Cooper Flagg the Rookie of the Year award.
The awards race will have to wait for a bit, although Cooper finds himself as a -160 favorite over Charlotte’s Kon Kneuppel (+125) for Rookie of the Year as the season comes to a close. As for the lottery odds, the Mavericks have done enough to secure the tied for seventh best odds in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery. The full standings are as follows.
According to the FanDuel Sportsbook, your Mavs have a +1000 shot at landing the number one overall pick. As you can see above, Dallas has a 29% chance at landing in the top four of the draft. If the Mavericks lose the coin flip for seventh, they will have a 33% chance at picking eighth, 31% at picking ninth and 7% at picking tenth or worse. If they win it, they will have a 20% chance of picking seventh, 36% chance at picking eighth, and a 15% chance at picking ninth or worse.
The NBA Draft Lottery will take place on May 10th from Chicago, which overlaps with the NBA Combine (May 8th to the 17th).
Moving on from the losers bracket, there will still be an NBA Champion crowned this summer. The top six seeds in each conference have been set, while seeds seven through ten are set to duke it out in the play in tournament. Here’s how things stand.
According to the FanDuel Sportsbook, the Oklahoma City Thunder (-155) enter the playoffs as the overwhelming favorite to win the West. Next in line are the San Antonio Spurs (+310) and Denver Nuggets (+650).
Out East, the Boston Celtics (+155) enter the postseason as the favorites to represent the conference in the NBA Finals, once again per our good friends over at FanDuel. Not far behind are the Cleveland Cavaliers (+340) and both the Detroit Pistons (+500) and New York Knicks (+500).
Overall, the OKC Thunder (+125) remain heavy favorites to repeat as Champions, per FanDuel. The Spurs (+450) and the Celtics (+550) come in with the next best odds to bring home a title.
Wizards big man Alex Sarr protecting the rim with a block. | NBAE via Getty Images
With a 130-117 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Washington Wizards close out the 2025-26 season with 17 wins. This means they now go down in history as just the third team ever to win fewer than 20 wins in three consecutive seasons.
The first to do it was the expansion Vancouver Grizzlies, which didn’t crack 20 victories until their fifth season. From 1995-96 to 1997-98, the Grizzlies won 15, 14, and 19 games. They followed up that epic run of futility by going just 8-42 in their labor dispute-shortened fourth season. That’s a 13-win pace, by the way.
Hubie Brown was the first coach to have a winning record for the Grizzlies. | Getty Images
They moved to Memphis before season seven without surpassing 30 wins in a season. Their first winning record came in year nine during Hubie Brown’s first full season as coach. Brown was the sixth coach in Vancouver/Memphis history.
Team two was The Process Philadelphia 76ers, which from 2013-14 to 2015-16 won 19, 18, and 10 games. After three years of intentionally losing, Philadelphia won 28 and then topped 50 wins four times over the next decade. All that tanking got them to the playoffs in seven straight seasons — where they exited in the second round five times and the first round twice.
Washington has won 15, 18, and 17 the past three seasons. It’s been a brutal stretch, even for the masochists who comprise the long-time Wizards fan base. The 1-25 run — nearly a third of the season — has been an appalling exercise in strategic losing. To make sure they got the best lottery odds possible, they’ve been restricting minutes and sitting with “injuries” even the young players they hope will be part of their future.
Wizards head coach Brian Keefe. | Getty Images
It gets worse. Using strength-of-schedule adjusted scoring margin, this season culminates the worst three-year run in NBA history. Washington has been outscored by an average of 11.02 points per game (adjusted for strength of schedule). The second worst three-year span was by the expansion Grizzlies, which were still two points per game stronger than the Wizards. This season, Washington posted the sixth worst adjusted scoring margin in history. The 2024-25 was third worst. Ever.
The Wizards this season were 28th in offense and 30th in defense. On offense they were 21st in eFG%, 26th in turnover percentage, 27th in getting to the free throw line, and 21st in offensive rebounding. On defense: 27th in deFG%, 24th in forcing turnovers, 29th in sending opponents to the free throw line, and 30th defensive rebounding percentage.
The Wizards hope to resume competing next season. They traded for Trae Young and Anthony Davis, and they expect to add a talented rookie with a pick that can be no worse than fifth overall. History suggests the first foray into trying to win may not go as well as we’d hope. When hitting bottom this hard, it’s probably going to take some time to get good — if it happens at all.
The team acquired some veterans they think will help. The big challenge: the youngsters who have played in an environment where nothing really mattered will have to learn the effort, attention to detail, and execution required to be good in the NBA.
To close out the season, here’s a quick look at each player — a thought or two for each, a level set, and a PPA score. By “level set,” I mean that I’m giving my opinion of the player’s future NBA role based on currently available information. My opinion is formed with full understanding that many of these guys are young and have potential, and their futures are likely to be based more on the work they will do than how they’ve played so far.
PPA is short for “Player Production Average,” which is the overall production metric I developed. PPA is pace neutral, and includes accounting for role and defensive impact. In PPA, 100 is average and higher is better. Replacement level is 45.
A quick note: I use four positions — guards, wings, forwards, and centers — which better reflects the reality of how the game is played than the traditional point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, center paradigm.
The list below is sorted by total minutes played for the team this season.
Wizards guard Bub Carrington played all 82 games for a second straight season. | Getty Images
Bub Carrington | G | 20 years old | PPA: 61 — Shot 40% from three-point range and still ended up with an offensive rating (points produced per 100 individual possessions) more than 10 points below average. He’s competitive and tough (played all 82 games for a second straight season) but is also an ineffective defender who plays smaller than his 6-4 frame. I didn’t like that his turnovers went up at a faster rate than his assists did. Level Set | 9th man.
Will Riley | F | 20 | PPA: 57 — Riley got a lot of buzz for how he’s played the past couple months. While I see the potential, I think the excitement has gotten ahead of his actual performance. His offensive efficiency (both for the season and for his “good” stretch) have loitered 6-7 points per 100 possessions below average. He has much work to do to get stronger. Level Set | 7th man.
Bilal Coulibaly | W | 21 | PPA: 101 — Good defender who showed signs of a pulse on offense in the latter part of the season. Opposing defenders had a difficult time staying in front of him when he decided to drive. But, he also shot 31.9% from three, which is something he must improve. Level Set | Starter.
Tre Johnson | G | 20 | PPA: 61 — Last year’s tanking prize, Johnson flashed “lethal shooter” potential. He also shot just 28.9% from deep after Feb. 1, and below 50% on twos for the season. My pre-draft evaluation questioned his athleticism and all-around dimension to his game. After watching him play in 60 NBA games, I have the same questions. Level Set | Off the bench shooter.
Kyshawn George improved significantly in his second NBA season. | NBAE via Getty Images
Kyshawn George | F | 22 | PPA: 87 — George took significant steps forward in per possession, scoring, rebounds, assists, usage and overall offensive efficiency. He also committed more turnovers and fouls on a per possession basis than he did as a rookie. While his offensive rating improved 7 points per 100 possessions from last season, it was still almost 9 points below average. He’s gotta stop fouling so much — it undercuts his defensive value and hurts the team defense by putting them in the penalty sooner. Level Set | 6th man.
Justin Champagnie | F | 24 | PPA: 105 — Always looks like he just woke up, even when he’s dunking on an opposing seven-footer or crashing for yet another offensive board. He was the team’s leading rebounder (well, Julian Reese and Marvin Bagley III had more on a per possession basis in relatively scant playing time), and he was one of the few Wizards this season with above average offensive efficiency. I think he could be a starter on a good team, though he may need to wait until Anthony Davis ages out, if he stays in Washington. Level Set | 7th man.
Alex Sarr | C | 20 | PPA: 132— Sarr improved a bunch from his rookie season on both ends of the floor. On defense, he was one of the league’s busiest and most effective rim protectors (partly because his perimeter teammates did such a bad job). On offense, he shot better on twos, threes, and free throws, showcased burgeoning fluidity in the post and improved his offensive rating by 11 points per 100 possessions. That ortg was still about 6 points below average, and the quality of his play drooped as the season wore on, but he took giant steps for a second-yer player. Level Set | Franchise player.
Jamir Watkins | W | 24 | PPA: 63— Watkins’ defense is what will keep him in the league next season. He MUST improve his shooting to stay beyond that. Level Set | Deep bench.
Anthony Gill | F/C | 33 | PPA: 67 — After 5+ seasons as the team dad, Gill got a steady diet of playing time over the last 20 or so games, and…he wasn’t bad. Level Set | Deep bench and future assistant (and then head) coach.
Sharife Cooper | G | 24 | PPA: 58 — Cooper has some craft and was fun to watch at times, but ultimately was too small to hold up defensively, doesn’t shoot well enough to scare defenses, and commits too many turnovers for his level of playmaking. Level Set | G League or overseas.
Tristan Vukcevic | C | 23 | PPA: 73— The big man can shoot and pass with some flare. He also commits a ton of turnovers (more than four per 100 team possessions), his rebounding is subpar for a big, and his slow feet and lack of anticipation makes him a weak defender who fouls a ton. Level Set | 10th man.
Jaden Hardy | G | 23 | PPA: 39 — His role seems to be instant offense, or at least instant shot attempts. Aside from inefficient offense, he offers little — at least so far. I liked flashes of what I saw, and he could be a good NBA player if he puts in the serious work. Level Set | 12th man.
Leaky Black | W | 26 | PPA: 54 — Poor defender who also struggles offensively. Level Set | G League or overseas.
Julian Reese | C | 22 | PPA: 90 — I wrote a bit about Reese in a recent critique of the Monumental broadcast. Suffice to say I’m lower on Reese’s future prospects than others. I like his competitiveness and effort. I don’t think he can play forward with his skill set and agility. He was productive in the limited minutes he got, though his better games came against teams that didn’t have genuine bigs available. When he went against quality size, he seemed to vanish. He’s undersized and under-skilled for a modern NBA center. Drew Gooden said he sees Reese as a “traditional power forward,” which might have been meaningful 15-20 years ago. I think Reese needs to get much stronger and savvier and become a competent shooter to stick around. I think there’s probably too much work to think he’ll get there anytime soon. Also, are we sure he’s really left-handed? Level Set | Deep bench or G League.
Cam Whitmore has promise, but can he put it together and become a quality NBA player? | Getty Images
Cam Whitmore | F | 21 | PPA: 49— Whitmore’s career has had some twists. Expected to go in the top 10, he slid to 20th in the draft. The Houston Rockets gave him to the Wizards for essentially nothing after two seasons. His performance in Washington was up and down until he got benched for his attitude. While languishing, he suffered a deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder, which meant he had to miss the rest of the season for medical reasons. He has great athletic tools and some genuine skills, though he suffers from the worst case of tunnel vision I’ve ever seen. Level Set | Deep bench.
Tucked beneath the baskets along both baselines at Crypto.com is a secret that soon everyone will know about.
The Los Angeles Lakers announced Thursday that they will be unveiling new Courtside Reserve seats for the upcoming NBA Playoffs on April 18.
The California Post was granted exclusive access to the location of the new seats ahead of the game between the Utah Jazz and LA Lakers on Sunday.
Jay-Z and his eldest daughter Blue Ivy Carter attend a Lakers game in LA. Getty ImagesIf you’re lucky enough to get that email, you’ll have the opportunity to watch LeBron alongside celebs like Adam Sandler. Getty Images
The new Courtside Reserve seats will be a second row of seats behind the existing courtside seats located along the baseline. They will give fans an up close and personal look at all the playoff action when the Lakers take on the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
According to a team source, there will be around 60 total seats, split evenly between each basket. The seats come with in-seat food and beverage service, access to the exclusive VIP club during halftime, and a seamless premium arrival from the moment you enter the arena. Think of it as a backstage pass to one of the most exclusive shows in all of sports.
More views from where the Lakers new “Courtside Reserve” seats will be located for the NBA Playoffs. pic.twitter.com/eavS2Tvsgi
For more than a half a century, courtside seats at Lakers games have been a cultural institution. From Jack Nicholson to Jay-Z, it’s almost a right of passage. From the Showtime era to the Kobe and Shaq era, from LeBron James to Luka Dončić, sitting courtside at Lakers games is a who’s who of Hollywood power brokers, music icons, athletes, actors and basketball purists.
The Lakers courtside seats have been sold out since the 1970s, but these new seats crack that door open ever so slightly.
Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner courtside at a Lakers game. Getty Images
A Lakers team source told The California Post that the price point is expected to land somewhere between $15,000 and $30,000 per seat for the playoffs. No doubt, this is an additional revenue stream discovered by new Lakers’ owner Mark Walter, who purchased the team at an evaluation price of $10 billion last November.
Fans interested in securing one of these 60 golden tickets can’t simply show up and buy them. The process begins by filling out an interest form. A filtering mechanism that reinforces the exclusivity before a single dollar is exchanged. After filling out the form, the Lakers will reach out via email about purchasing a ticket for the new seats.
If you’re lucky enough to get that email, then you’ll have the opportunity to watch LeBron James and the Lake Show alongside celebrities like Will Ferrell, Denzel Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio, Flea, Justin Bieber, Adam Sandler and Eddie Murphy.
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OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 12: Jamaree Bouyea #17 of the Phoenix Suns brings the ball up court during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on April 12, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by William Purnell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Game 82 of the season, a game that generally means nothing. It meant something for plenty of teams in the Eastern Conference on Sunday, but everything was already decided for both the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns. So there isn’t much to take away from a game like this unless you’re a Suns sicko. That’s what I am. That’s what you are if you’re reading this.
While the second season begins on Tuesday for the Suns, there were still some interesting things to see as the regular season came to a close. Many of the young players who were part of that 25-point second-half debacle against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday were given more opportunity on Sunday against the Thunder. And they took advantage of it.
You might not take much from that performance, but those players will. Their coaches will too. When the season ends and the offseason regimens begin, there are real takeaways from what they showed on Sunday.
On Friday, the youth movement looked disorganized and passive. On Sunday, they looked engaged and aggressive. That’s what I’m taking from the final game. The team, and especially the youth movement, showed some promise, even if it came against the Third Team Thunder. I’ll take 135 points to end the season every time.
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
It was a disgusting showing against the Lakers, but not by Oso!
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 82 against the Thunder. Here are your nominees:
VANCOUVER, CANADA - NOVEMBER 9: Head coach Jared Bednar of the Colorado Avalanche looks on from the bench during their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Colorado Avalanche News
Head Coach Bednar will not travel with the team on this road trip due to a facial injury after taking a puck during a game. [TSN]
Top college free agent T.J. Hughes to sign with Colorado Avalanche. [The Athletic]
Can juggernaut Avalanche break Presidents’ Trophy curse? [The Score]
Masterton Trophy nominations announced and Landeskog, Ullmark among those up for award for perseverance, sportsmanship, dedication. [NHL]
Sam Malinski selected for Avalanche’s 2026 King Clancy Trophy Nominee. [The Hockey News]
With plenty of fresh blood, NHL will have new Stanley Cup champion after the back-to-back champs failed to make the playoffs. [CBC]
Avalanche say Nazem Kadri will miss a few games. [Sportsnet]
News Around the League
Suzuki becomes first Canadien in 40 years to record 100 points in a season. [TSN]
Do the Maple Leafs really play in a tough NHL market? It depends on who you ask. [The Star]
Ovechkin appreciates ‘nice’ tribute during possible last game in Pittsburgh. [ESPN]
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - APRIL 12: Jordan Walker #18 of the St. Louis Cardinals hits a solo home run against the Boston Red Sox at Busch Stadium on April 12, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As most of you know, I was lucky enough to be invited to attend Winter Warmup as a reporter. Last year, I used that experience to write several season previews. Due to the late start of the top 20 prospect series (caused by waiting for Brendan Donovan to be traded), my Winter Warmup stories have been pushed to now instead of at the beginning of spring training. Thus technically, these could also be called season previews, but there’s a good chance I write a couple of these after the season has already started. I’ll try to pick stories that are not outdated for the ones during the season.
Coming into the season, the infield looked fairly strong, the bullpen looked like it should be competent, and the starting rotation, well that took a bit more hoping, but each individual member was fully capable of being average or better and there’s a good amount of depth for when things went wrong. Average rotations have certainly been built on flimsier material.
Outfield though, that took some imagination. The kind of imagination that would get you labeled a homer who was incapable of looking at things objectively. Too much had to go right and nobody was a safe bet. There were only two sure starters and both gave you reason to doubt them. Victor Scott can’t hit and Jordan Walker can’t really do anything. As for that third spot, hope things don’t go too badly and pray Lars Nootbaar gets back quickly.
Two weeks into the season, the biggest homer in the world wouldn’t dare predict what Jordan Walker has done. It’s almost inconceivable, which is itself kind of a crazy thing to think for a man once considered a top 10 prospect in the game. Of course, he was capable of this. It just doesn’t usually happen after 1,000 plate appearances of failure. Obviously, that affected him.
“When you go into the MLB, you know there are gonna be struggles,” Walker said. “I knew that as a rookie coming up. I didn’t think everything was gonna go my way immediately and that it was always gonna go my way. But it’s still tough to deal with.”
Walker began his journey to this point by starting at Driveline. Interestingly, Driveline seems to be getting all the credit (as judged by an MLB Network clip, which also erroneously seemed to suggest he’s now successful because of more consistent playing time), but if I’m hearing his quote correctly, he instituted his changes at a different sports performance facility.
“At the beginning of the season, I went Driveline and did the whole body analysis thing, how I move and I brought that program over to Cressey,” Walker said. “We took that Driveline program and I incorporated it to the movement and workouts at Cressey.”
I’m pretty sure he meant offseason, but he definitely did say season. If I were an actual reporter, I would contact Walker to clarify, but I don’t have his number and I’m not going to change a quote based on an assumption. It’s not the point anyway. He gave a special shout-out to Shane Olive and Max Rios at Cressey as people he worked closely with. He didn’t mention their last names, but they do have a website, so it wasn’t hard to find.
But they didn’t start from the vantage point of let’s increase the launch angle.
“To be honest, it was really how forward I was coming when I was hitting and what we learned is that when I’m hitting off my backside, I’m driving the ball in the gaps way more consistently,” Walker said. “I’m not rolling over, I’m not getting that topspin on the ball. The focus is really how far back I’m onto my hip and how I’m hitting on my backside rather than me focusing on launch angle.”
Essentially, he doesn’t need to focus on launch angle. Launch angle is more of a consequence of smart, effective changes.
“If I’m moving correctly, then the launch angle and exit velo and driving it where I want to will come up with it,” Walker said.
That is certainly a sentiment that Nathan Church would agree with. Though in a different spot and with different expectations, his career did hang in the balance because of a concern about power. It’s just that his power was lacking in the minor leagues. He reached AA in 2024, but only managed a .106 ISO, which also happened to be his professional high at the time. After starting 2025 injured, he then suddenly had power en route to a surprise debut in the MLB.
“A lot of it is not really trying to put up power numbers to be honest,” Church said. “A lot of it is just trying to get stronger in the gym and knowing how my body moves correctly is kind of the main thing. The numbers kind of spoke for itself. Put all the work in the gym and the training room and the cage kind of shows out in the field.”
I realize that Walker went to outside sources to improve his hitting, but the verbiage both use suggest the Cardinals are also preaching this. Both reference that if their body moves correctly, the power will naturally come. That cannot be a coincidence. Joshua Baez, in the organization since he was drafted in 2021, thinks the coaching has improved since he got here.
“It’s been going upwards every single year,” Baez said. “They’re really involved with the players, they want to know about them, what they’re doing, their routine, to help them prepare for spring training and the season.”
And yes, if you’re good at math, if he is indeed correct about it being better every year, it means things were improving before Chaim Bloom even got there. Probably a consequence of him getting better instruction as he rose through the system, but I thought I’d point that out. But he did get more specific in how things are different now.
“It was just a more personalized program for me,” Baez said. “They know me better now, it was more about me and not so much comparing or saying ‘maybe this could work for you.’ Going by experience and just try to find things that will continue to make me better.”
Baez could commiserate with Walker on struggles, albeit he got a lot less attention for them. Nonetheless, he was a high draft pick, a somewhat highly rated prospect, and the road has probably been bumpier than he thought it would be.
“Going through the down times, yeah it definitely questions you,” Baez said. “Being drafted high, having all these expectations, then just hitting that brick wall, it just builds character. I just found a way to get up and keep going every time.”
Is there a more character-building sport than baseball? My experience is on a far smaller scale and not specifically about baseball, but when I first came onto this blog, I spammed the fanpost section with recaps back when the fanpost was considered sacred and I got roasted here in the comments and I soon learned on Twitter and I was an 18-year-old trying to skip a few steps, so it wasn’t entirely unjustified, but it definitely hurt me.
But it was character-building. Didn’t matter who it was, I used to take criticism so personally. But after that, a random person on social media doesn’t affect me at all. So on the larger, more public scale that Baez and Walker had to deal with, I’m guessing it’s significantly easier to remain confident even when slumping after their struggles. And confidence is not seen in the advanced stats, but we’re all human and it’s going to affect play.
And to again relate to my own experience: that experience also made me a better writer and a better baseball fan. It’s why I bothered to learn about advanced analytics, which only made me love the sport more. Walker, who has previously been somewhat hesitant to change a swing he was comfortable with, became someone ready to make changes.
“He has had a better, more engaged and more communicative offseason than any than I think people can remember from him,” POBO Chaim Bloom said. “Obviously, the proof will be in the pudding. But I’m encouraged by where his head is at in terms of understanding what the adjustments need to be for him to have consistent success at this level.”
Bloom followed that up with a quote that may have been scoffed at in spring training, especially in the middle of it, but seems like the most obvious statement ever given how Walker has started his season.
“You don’t have to squint to see why the upside is worth staying with him,” Bloom said.
What’s funny is that at the time he said that, some may have argued that you do actually have to squint. But you really don’t have to squint now. It’s smacking you right in the face.
“I still have the same mentality,” Walker said. “I want to come here, I want to win a spot, and I want to have a crazy year.”
Nothing says “crosstown rivalry” quite like A.J. Pierzynski slapping the plate and Michael Barrett throwing hands. | (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
We’ve spent plenty of time talking ourselves into hope. Convincing ourselves that this rebuild will be different, that this time the plan will actually resemble a plan, that the next good White Sox team won’t just be a two-year window duct-taped together with waiver claims and good vibes.
But let’s be honest, hope is fragile on the South Side. And if there’s one thing this fan base knows better than anyone, it’s how quickly things turn from optimism to open disdain.
So, today’s question is simple: Who is the South Siders’ biggest rival — and which team do you hate the most?
Is it the Cubs, the natural crosstown foe, where every game feels less like baseball and more like a referendum on the city itself? Is it the Twins, who somehow always seem to have things figured out just enough to be annoying? Or maybe it’s a newer kind of resentment for a team that’s crossed the Sox one too many times recently, building a grudge that didn’t exist a decade ago.
And then there’s the second part, which isn’t necessarily the same answer. Rivalries are supposed to be competitive. Hate? That’s really personal.
Is it the team whose fans you can’t stand? The one that always seems to get the call, the bounce, the breakout season? The one that turns every series into a slow boil?
Or, and be honest, is it the White Sox themselves? Because sometimes the most exhausting rivalry is the one between expectation and reality.
Let it out. Your grievances, fresh wounds, all of it. Because if there’s one thing Sox fans know how to do, it’s hold onto a grudge like it’s a retired number.
So, who’s your biggest rival, and who do you truly hate?
SAN DIEGO, CA - APRIL 09: Chase Dollander #32 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Thursday, April 9, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Ryan Levy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Antonio Senzatela and Chase Dollander are two very different pitchers, but both have found themselves transitioning from starting to long relief over the last year.
For Senzatela, the move came after struggles over the last few seasons that saw him returning from a variety of health challenges, including Tommy John surgery. Finally in August, the Rockies re-envisioned his role as a pitcher and moved him to the bullpen. He had a chance to regain his spot in the rotation this spring, but was ultimately returned to the bullpen because he was not stretched out after his participation for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic.
Although Dollander did not experience Senzatela’s physical challenges, he struggled in 2025 to be an effective MLB pitcher. In the spring, he battled against Ryan Feltner for the fifth opening in the starting rotation. Feltner ultimately won the job, and Dollander was kept on the roster as another long reliever. The Rockies see him as a starter long-term, but felt like this was the best way to allow him to progress.
“We want Chase to develop at the big-league level, too, and feel like facing big-league hitters on a consistent basis is going to lead to his development better than it would in Triple-A at this point,” manager Warren Schaeffer said of the move at the time.
So far, through 15 games, both players have been thriving in different ways and are adjusting to their 2026 roles. Senzatela has made four appearances and has thrown nine innings while allowing just two hits with three walks and 12 strikeouts. Dollander has also made four appearances, allowing seven runs (all earned) on 14 hits with three home runs, four walks and 14 strikeouts over 13.2 innings.
“It’s different, for sure,” Dollander said. “When that phone rings, your heart gets pumping pretty quick. I mean, you have an idea of when you’re going to pitch, but you don’t have a definite clue of, ‘Hey, I’m pitching today’ It’s so funny when the phone rings because everybody’s just looking over at [Matt Buschmann] to see if it’s them being called.”
Senzatela has experience in the bullpen both from last season and from the WBC, but is feeling more comfortable.
“(The WBC helped) for sure,” Senzatela said. “Even last year, I threw a couple innings as a bullpen guy. I’m out there with the high-leverage situations, it gives my heart a little bump. So right now, it feels really good being in the bullpen and having that experience.”
And he has made some adjustments to his routine, knowing what his role is on this team.
“(I’ve made) different changes, because right now I have to be ready for any game everyday,” he said. “So I do like working and doing some stuff before heading out. It’s different, but it’s good. I’m feeling great right now.”
Additionally, Senzatela has made some sweeping changes to his arsenal – something that’s been limited for most of his career. Historically, Senzatela has used his four-seam fastball more than half the time. Now, he has six pitches and uses his four-seamer about one-third of the time instead.
“I was working in the (Push Performance) facility in Arizona,” he said. “We added two pitches, and we’re still working on it, but so far so good.”
Dollander hasn’t made a lot of changes, but he’s been getting good advice from Buschmann throughout the game.
“It’s awesome,” he said. “He and I have had some really good conversations, just whether it’s just about life or if it’s about, ‘Hey, this is what your routine needs to look like’ or if he has suggestions as to what I should do to get warmed up for the game, or if he thinks that I’m going to be in the game today or not. He’s really smart with that kind of stuff.”
And Dollander and Senzatela have turned to each other since they’re both in the same boat of being starters-turned-long-relievers.
“We’ve talked a little bit,” Dollander said. “We’ve both said it’s very different from starting, but at the same time, it’s a lot more fun. Well, not more fun – starting is really fun and being in the bullpen with all the guys is really fun, too. There’s definitely different aspects of it, but I think we’re both just trying to have fun with it, to be honest.”
“I just started (saying) we need to be ready for any time,” Senzatela said. “We’ve enjoyed time together out there and we’re just trying to be the best we can on the mound so we can have another opportunity.”
Schaeffer has noticed a change in Dollander so far in his new role, and he likes what he sees.
“I think any big spot that you’re going to see Chase in and you see results like that, and he continues to attack the zone, I think is maturation for sure,” Schaeffer said last Saturday. “The other part that I liked with him tonight is the consistent one line to the plate. I mean, that’s a different Chase to enter this year.”
And specifically, he doesn’t see these long relievers as ‘eating innings’ – he sees them as an important part of the entire pitching staff.
“I think it’s huge, specifically in April in Coors Field,” Schaeffer said. “It takes a load off of our bullpen to be able to do that and to have guys go out there and attack the strike zone. Hopefully we see a more rested bullpen in August and September because of this. But it’s not just eating innings with these guys. Those were high-leverage innings for Chase. That’s not eating, he’s out there to get a win.”
In addition, Dollander is learning important lessons in the bullpen that he can take back with him to the rotation.
“I think for me, it’s going to be just the mindset of staying on the attack and being aggressive,” he said, “because when you come out of the pen, it’s like, ‘all right, you have this many innings to work with and you need to get through those innings.’ So I have to come out with my best stuff and I’m going to be aggressive with it.”
But most importantly, “last year, obviously, is what it is and you can’t change it. But this year, I’m very, very much more confident in my abilities and myself just because of all the work that I’ve put in this offseason.”
There hasn’t been any indication of when Dollander will return to the rotation, but both he and Senzatela have made the most out of their opportunities and will hopefully continue to do well in their current roles.
While the Rockies had an anemic offense in San Diego, the Isotopes had the opposite. They racked up 19 runs on 17 hits against the Chihuahuas’ 12 runs on 13 hits. Cole Carrigg (No. 4 PuRP) went 3-for-5 with a home run, three runs scored and four RBI. Ryan Ritter went 1-for-6 with a home run, two runs scored, two RBI and two strikeouts. Zac Veen (No. 9 PuRP) went 2-for-6 with two runs scored, one RBI and one strikeout. Charlie Condon (No. 1 PuRP) continued his torrid Triple-A affair, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored, three RBI, one walk and one strikeout. He also hit a three-run homer, his fourth in 10 games. On the pitching side, Sean Sullivan (No. 8 PuRP) went six innings and allowed five runs (two earned) on seven hits with four strikeouts and two home runs. Welinton Herrera (No. 17 PuRP) ended up with the win, though, after he pitched two innings with nothing but three strikeouts.
The Yard Goats came up short against the Fightin’ Phils. Aidan Longwell, Conner Capel and Andy Perez all recorded two hits, and Capel also had an RBI (as did Skyler Messinger). The third run was scored on a throwing error in the first inning. On the pitching side, only Cade Denton pitched unscathed. Granted, he only pitched 0.1 innings, but the other three pitchers all gave up at least one run (Eiberson Castellano and Alberto Pacheco each gave up multiple).
The Indians also came up short against the Hops, going 1-for-9 with RISP and leaving 12 men on base. Jacob Humphreys and Alan Espinal each recorded two hits, while Robert Calaz (No. 6 PuRP), Kevin Fitzer and Kelvin Hidalgo each recorded one. The worst thing, though, is that the Indians struck out 17 times. The Indians used two pitchers — LHP Everett Catlett and RHP Hunter Mann — and neither escaped unscathed.
The Fresno Grizzlies were outstanding last night. The pitching staff combined for just five hits and 13 strikeouts without walking a single batter and only allowing one run. Angel Jimenez gave up the run — a single in the third to Bobby Blandford — but Ethan Cole and Austin Emener shut things down. Emener in particular pitched two innings without allowing a single hit while striking out four. On the offensive side, Jack O’Dowd and Matt Klein each home runs. Roldy Brito (No. 11 PuRP) hit a triple and Luis Mendez hit a double. Brito, Klein and O’Dowd also each had two RBIs. Offensively, they struck out seven times.
Patrick Saunders profiles Kyle Freeland in his 10th season with the Rockies not only through his own eyes, but also through the eyes of some Rockies alumni — Aaron Cook and Jason Jennings.
Dick and Charlie Monfort surprised a lot of folks when they sold 40% of the Rockies to the Penner Sports Group on Friday. Mark Kiszla details some of the behind-the-scenes things that led to this moment.
KANSAS CITY, MO - APRIL 11: Michael Wacha (52) of the Kansas City Royals delivers a pitch during an MLB game against the Chicago White Sox on April 11, 2026 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Since joining the Royals in 2024, Wacha has recorded a quality start in all seven outings against the White Sox. He’s pitched to a 1.31 ERA in that stretch, and has tossed seven scoreless frames in four of those seven starts.
“The efficiency was what was most impressive,” Quatraro said. “He was in control the whole game. Curve, changeup, putting the fastball where he wanted. That was a masterclass right there.”
“I knew kind of going into it the stuff was moving good,” Wacha said. “I had some good command. Had a good game plan going into hit, me and Sal (catcher Salvador Perez). He was pressing the right buttons.”
“Maikel has been aggressive early in the count starting games …” Quatraro said. “If you are going to be ready to go and you get a good pitch to hit, let it rip.”
Garcia could be on his way to another All-Star nomination. And the big moments don’t faze him. He takes it all in stride — in large part due to his routine.
It works for him. Just as the Royals hoped it would. “I’m doing my routine and having confidence,” Garcia said. “I think that’s the key.”
The Royals are essentially in the same place as they were a year ago in runs scored, but there is some promise here in the underlying offensive metrics. The walk rate is the clear standout here. Only once (1973) have the Royals finished a season with a walk rate north of ten percent. 2002 was the last time the team even finished with a walk rate over 8%. Will it last all season? Only time will tell, but the Royals’ 15-game mark last season only finished 0.2% better than the team’s full-season mark (7.2%).
The barrel rate was highlighted as a concern early last season, but Kansas City has done well there thus far. The Royals rank fourth in that regard, behind only the Dodgers, Yankees, and Braves.
Plenty more pieces still need to be put in place to frame this one properly, of course.
Most of all, a clearer picture of the funding and just how the Royals would create more tangible benefits to the community.
Those would be essentials for both the city and Royals to prioritize and communicate, especially because a significant construction project there will mean years of inconvenience to nearby institutions before it comes to fruition. And just because the city and the Royals have sought to avoid a public vote doesn’t mean they don’t have a duty to be transparent and accountable. In fact, that seems all the more critical in this context if they want buy-in.
But at least the downtown-site part of the original premise is back in focus, and that’s where it should stay.
“There is time pressure,” he said. “This is the right way to get a deal done, looking at basically incentive tools, economic activity redirections, that sort of work to do it. And I think that’s why we’re saying now is the right time to make sure we can get this done. Fortunately, this gets us started on this before the World Cup kicks off.”
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 10: Michael Harris II #23 and Dominic Smith #8 of the Atlanta Braves celebrate in the sixth inning during the game against the Cleveland Guardians at Truist Park on April 10, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well here we are, folks — our Atlanta Braves are 16 games deep into this season and they are in a pretty solid groove. They’ve dropped at least one game to every team that they’ve played this season but they’ve also taken two games off of every team that they’ve played so far. That was also the case for their opponents this past weekend in the form of the Cleveland Guardians. Something had to give, as these were the last two teams in baseball who had yet to drop a series.
Let me tell you, it would’ve been a crying shame if the Braves were the ones who ended up dropping this series. I’m not saying that based on any type of underlying data or anything like that but I’m saying that because the vibes have been impeccable at Truist Park and The Battery since the new City Connect uniforms were officially unveiled on Thursday morning. Friday was 80s Night, Dale Murphy got some shine, T.I. was in the building on Saturday and the team was on prime time network television on Sunday. There were a lot of eyes on this series and this was a chance for the Braves to really show off for their home crowd. It’s time to get into just how the Braves fared during what ended up being a very fun weekend series.
Atlanta debuted their clean new City Connect uniforms in stylish fashion, as a huge sixth inning in in this game and two more run-scoring innings following that allowed the Braves to pull away in this contest. It took a while for the Atlanta lineup to figure Slade Cecconi but once they did, it led to some real fireworks before the post-game Friday Night Fireworks in Cobb County.
It all started with Ronald Acuña Jr. hitting an absolute bomb for his first dinger of the season. As it turned out, that was the first of three homers in this inning alone and the shortest one of them all. Matt Olson put Acuña’s shot to shame as he hit a two-run dinger that landed on top of the Chop House. Michael Harris II’s moonshot with two outs made sure that the Braves left the inning leading by five after they entered it trailing by one.
Ozzie Albies and Dominic Smith both delivered RBI singles in the eighth inning to extend the lead and then Drake Baldwin and Austin Riley (with help from an error) made sure that any hope that the Guardians had after a three-run eighth inning of their own was snuffed out immediately. The bats had a major impact in this game and it made for some fun viewing on a special night at the ballpark.
If Friday night was a peak for the Braves then Saturday night was certainly a valley in terms of performance. Credit is due to the now-DFA’d Martín Pérez, who recovered from a first-inning homer from José Ramírez to go five innings while only giving up one run in the process.
That was about it for highlights as far as this game is concerned. Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a triple but outside of that, the Braves had nothing to deal with Guardians starter Parker Messick and the rest of the Guardians pitching staff on this particular night. A disastrous ninth inning which saw the Guardians add on three runs was the icing on a poison-laced cake for the Braves in this one.
This was more like it from the Braves, as Atlanta’s first appearance on Sunday Night Baseball in 2026 felt like a bit of a statement game from the guys in powder blue. The pitching matchup was a strong one as Chris Sale was tasked with keeping Cleveland quiet while the Braves had to figure out a way to take down Tanner Bibee.
As you can tell by the gaudy scoreline above, the Braves ended up taking Bibee and the rest of the Guardians’ pitching staff out behind the woodshed. This was Atlanta’s night nearly from the words “Play Ball,” as the Braves plated three runs in the second inning thanks to RBI doubles from Mauricio Dubón and Ronald Acuña Jr. and a Jorge Mateo RBI single sandwiched in there as well. Mateo drove in Dubón to make it 2-0 — just like we all predicted back in February, right?
The fun was nowhere near over after that second inning outburst. There were still a few more outbursts to come — Dominic Smith cracked a dinger to make it 5-0 in the fourth inning and then Atlanta pushed four more runs across the plate in the fifth inning with two runs on the board.
Bibee ended up with eight runs conceded off 11 hits and one walk allowed and things didn’t get much better for our old friend Kolby Allard, either. The Braves tagged him for five runs, with four of those coming in the eighth inning. Things really got out of hand at that point, as Atlanta loaded up the bases with nobody out to start the inning and took full advantage of it in order to bring them to their final tally of 13 runs on the night.
While the Braves were busy battering Bibee, Chris Sale went cruising as he eventually finished with six innings (including his 2,600th career strikeout) and just one run allowed. The Guardians put some traffic on the baepaths with eight hits against Sale but any time that they came close to getting something going, Sale would put the clamps down on Cleveland in order to keep the door shut. Cleveland went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and also left five runnings in scoring position throughout. The only breakthrough for the Guardians was a solo homer for Rhys Hoskins but all that did was make it a 9-1 game for the Braves at that point. outside of that, this was a dominant display from the Braves in front of a national audience on network television. Boom.
That’s about as comprehensive of a series win as you can get without it being a sweep. The Braves were clearly the better team across the course of three games and that’s even including the loss where the offense got completely blanked. Parker Messick’s brilliant start was essentially the exception rather than the rule for Cleveland in this series, as the Braves were otherwise locked in at the plate. Ronald Acuña Jr. racked up six hits across the three games with three of them being of the extra-base variety, no less. Austin Riley collected four hits in this series as well — those are two players who the Braves need to get rolling and if they both end up going on a tear in the near future, this could be the point in time that you could look at as being the genesis of it all.
The offense coming alive was huge since this wasn’t a completely pristine performance from the pitching staff. Chris Sale did a great job of limiting the damage that the Guardians threatened to do on Sunday night and Martín Pérez did well to cover five innings on Saturday evening. Outside of that, it was a bit of a shaky weekend for the pitching. Bryce Elder was lifted up by his lineup as he only made it through 4.2 innings on Friday night and the bullpen had a lot of work to do during the first two games of this series. It was mostly good work though and for what it’s worth, this staff as a whole has earned the benefit of the doubt to be less-than-perfect for a series after getting off to a fantastic start to begin the season. I’m not complaining too much since it’s not like the Braves had a disasterclass during this series on the mound but it’s also something to keep a close eye on going forward in terms of quality.
Outside of what feels like nitpicking, this was a fantastic series for the Braves. They’re now one of only three teams with 10 wins so far this season with the other two being the Dodgers (because, duh) and the Padres (who got off to flying start last season as well). Atlanta’s rough start to the 2025 season is a thing of the distant past as this Braves team. appears determined to make sure that whatever momentum they have lasts for as long as possible. They still have yet to drop a series but this upcoming week could be another tricky one. Atlanta will be hosting the Marlins up next and while they’ve slowed down and gone 3-7 over their last 10, this squad would love nothing more than to trip up the Braves early on. Once the Braves get done with Miami, they’ll be traveling to Philadelphia for the weekend and that’s always a tough trip in any given season.
The Braves will certainly have their work cut out for them when it comes to maintain this series winning streak but with the way this team has looked to start the season, would you wager against them keeping it going through this next week? We’ll have to see what happens but right now, this is a team that looks like it means business going forward. The uniforms look clean as well. Everything’s looking really spiffy right now, folks.
It feels unbelievable to say, but we are already almost halfway through April, and what’s more, we are almost three weeks into this season. We’ve been seeing a lot of injuries, which is nothing new, and also still the case this week. We’re also seeing baseball teams having a very short leash with struggling players.
In our news bites today, we look at some big stories from over the weekend. First, the unveiling of an Ichiro Suzuki statue in Seattle went terribly wrong. Then Shohei Ohtani continues to build his legacy, of course. And in an “it can only happen in baseball” story, the White Sox announced they would be honoring their most famous fan with a Pope-themed promo night.
All that and more below, so let’s get right into it!
CINCINNATI, OH - MARCH 26: A general view inside the stadium during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeffrey Dean/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
It’s a new week of San Francisco Giants baseball, so it’s time to take a look ahead at what’s on deck for this week.
First up, the Giants have an off-day today before heading to Cincinnati to begin a three-game series against the Reds. After that, they head to the nation’s capitol to start a three-game series against the Washington Nationals.
Honestly, I have a hard time picking which of these series I have more interest in. Considering I tend to forget that the Reds exist every year until this exact moment in the season.
Meanwhile the Nationals evoke bittersweet feelings from me. I got to cover their majestic 2019 World Series run, which is one of my favorite writing memories that doesn’t include a local team. But then they haven’t been particularly good since then, placing last in their division in five of the last six seasons since.
But I can’t ask y’all to pick one without doing the same, so I’m going to go with the Reds, who are the much more competent baseball team.
Which series are you most interested in this week?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants are off today, but they’ll be back at it in Cincinnati tomorrow afternoon.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 08: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder dribbles during the second half of an NBA game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome on April 08, 2026 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ryan Sun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the regular season now over, here’s our picks for every NBA award this season.
MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Nikola Jokic has been the best player in the world for the last five years, but this is the season Gilgeous-Alexander stole that title away from him. It’s excruciating not to give Jokic his fourth MVP after a season where he led the league in both rebounds and assists while scoring just about as well as ever, but it’s a testament to SGA’s level that he’s still ultimately most deserving of the honor. Don’t believe the narrative that Gilgeous-Alexander is simply a free throw merchant (Austin Reaves had a higher free throw rate this year) or that OKC’s success is only about its defense. Switch SGA with even another offensive star like Jalen Brunson, and there would be so many more holes to pick in the Thunder. He was already the best guard alive even before he unleashed a deadly step-back three-pointer this year, which he used to win several games at the buzzer. Gilgeous-Alexander putting up 45.3 points per 100 possession on 66.5 percent true shooting is simply absurd stuff for a 6’6 guy. He’s legitimately one of the best guards the league has seen post-Michael Jordan, and Steph Curry is really the only guard I feel comfortable saying had an objectively higher peak in the time since. SGA crushed Jokic in EPM (+9.3 to Jokic’s +8.0) and estimated wins (+19.1 to +17.1) this year. Some of the other advanced stats slightly favor Jokic or even Wembanyama, but Shai grades out as an elite player in all of them, and the Thunder would have been nowhere close to 64 wins without him, especially in a year where Jalen Williams barely played. Wemby is coming for the Best in the World title next season, but SGA has it for now, along with what should be his second MVP.
Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama
There’s no need to spend much time on this one. Apologies to Bill Russell, but Wembanyama is already maybe the best defensive player in league history at age-22. With an 8-foot wingspan, incredible speed, and a high motor, he’s going to win this award every year for the foreseeable future as long as he plays enough games. If Wembanyama weren’t eligible this season, I’d go with Chet Holmgren as a distant second choice.
Rookie of the Year: Kon Knueppel
I went longer on this year’s Rookie of the Year race last week, but Knueppel deserves the award over his college teammate Cooper Flagg because he was simply a better and more impactful player this season. Knueppel’s shooting and screening have been elite traits from day one. I’d say he’s been a top-50 player in the entire league as a rookie. Flagg would still go No. 1 in a redraft, but Knueppel has been the NBA’s best rookie this season, and I honestly don’t think it’s all that close.
I considered Joe Mazzula, Jordan Ott, and Charles Lee for this honor, but ultimately Bickerstaff deserves the nod for getting this Pistons team from 14 wins to 44 wins to 60 wins. I felt like Detroit downgraded over the offseason by losing Dennis Schroder and Malik Beasley among others, but Bickerstaff got the most out of the defense, developed two-way guard Daniss Jenkins into a key contributor, and found ways to prioritize Jalen Duren offensively as he made a huge leap. Bickerstaff deserves a lot of credit for Detroit going 13-5 without Cade Cunningham this season, and he’s the brains behind the league’s No. 2 overall defense. The Pistons’ preseason over/under was only 46.5 wins. No one thought this would be the best team in the East this season, and Bickerstaff’s fingerprints are all over their success. The Monty Williams era seems so long ago at this point, and that might be Bickerstaff’s biggest accomplishment yet.
Clutch Player of the Year: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Gilgeous-Alexnader led the league with 175 points in the clutch this season. Jamal Murray (166) and Nikola Jokic (155) were second and third in that category, but unlike Denver’s star duo, SGA didn’t really have anyone else to take the pressure off him in late-game situations. Chet Holmgren was the only other Thunder player to finish top-100 in clutch points this year by checking in at No. 49. The development of his step-back, like the game-winner against Denver above, is going to make him so much harder to guard in the playoffs.
Most Improved Player: Jalen Duren
There are plenty of worthy candidates for this award, but it still feels like it’s going to come down to Nickeil Alexander-Walker vs. Duren. I’m going with the Pistons center because I feel like the leap he made this season — going from a pretty good starter to a potential All-NBA nod — is more difficult than the one NAW made. I had Duren at No. 5 on my 2022 draft board, so I always believed he had this type of development in him coming out of Memphis. Duren was the NBA’s youngest player as a rookie, and he was the first guy to enter the league who was born after LeBron’s debut. It’s wild to think he’s still only 22 years old, and he’s younger than several projected first-round picks in the 2026 draft, including Bennett Stirtz, Thomas Haugh, and of course Yaxel Lendeborg. His ability to attack off the dribble just exploded this year, and he also became more efficient from short mid-range, while continuing to crush the glass at both ends. Detroit’s offense scored 122 points per 100 possessions with Duren on the floor this year for more than 1,800 minutes — which would have led the league. When he was off, the team only scored 114.7 points per 100. His free throw improvement from 66.9 percent last year to 74.7 percent this year is also part of the story. Duren’s defense can still get better, and he’s got plenty of time for that. He’s one of the best centers in the league right now, and I don’t think anyone saw that coming before this season started.
NBA All-Defensive Team picks
First team: Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Bam Adebayo, Derrick White, Rudy Gobert
Second team: Scottie Barnes, Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson, OG Anunoby, Cason Wallace
All-NBA Team picks
First team: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell
Second team: Jaylen Brown, Chet Holmgren, Jamal Murray, Jalen Duren, LaMelo Ball
Third team: Tyrese Maxey, Kevin Durant, Derrick White, Jalen Brunson, Scottie Barnes
San Diego, CA - April 12: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres and Bryce Johnson #29 run off the field after a 7-2 win against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park on April 12, 2026 in San Diego, CA. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
Arizona was break-even after a week and a half, but last week won a pair of road series against postseason hopefuls, winning two of three against both the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. But the Padres turned things up a notch with six wins in seven games, including the last five in a row.
Game of the week
Thursday night at Petco Park saw the Padres and Colorado Rockies in lockstep with each other all night. The each scored one run in the third inning, then nothing else through nine innings. Then they each scored single runs in both the 10th and 11th, and left a combined eight runners on base in those four half-innings.
After the Rockies left two more on in a scoreless top of the 12th, Colorado opted to intentionally walk both Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado to load the bases. Xander Bogaerts made them pay with a walk-off grand slam.
Flyers Get Massive Playoff Help from Claude Giroux, SenatorsEven though he isn't on the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> anymore, Claude Giroux, with the help of his Ottawa Senators teammates, lent his former club a helping hand in their playoff race Saturday afternoon.
Flyers Call Up David Jiricek In Surprise MoveThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> have made a bit of a surprising transaction with their playoff push coming to its final few games, recalling top defense prospect David Jiricek from the AHL on Sunday afternoon.
